The present invention relates generally to cross-connect assemblies and, in particular, to jack assemblies for digital cross-connect systems.
A digital cross-connect system (DSX) provides a location for interconnecting two digital transmission paths. The apparatus for a DSX is located in one or more frames, or bays, usually in a telephone central office. The DSX apparatus also provides jack access to the transmission paths.
DSX jacks are well known and typically include a plurality of bores sized for receiving tip-and-ring plugs. A plurality of spring contacts are provided within the bores for contacting the tip-and-ring plugs. The jacks are typically electrically connected to digital transmission lines, and are also electrically connected to a plurality of wire termination members used to cross-connect the jacks. By inserting plugs within the bores of the jacks, signals transmitted through the jacks can be interrupted or monitored.
One aspect of the present invention relates to a jack assembly including a jack mount having a front side and a rear side. The jack mount has top and bottom supports defining a jack receiving region that opens outward toward the front side of the jack mount. A jack of the assembly is adapted to be slidably mounted in the jack receiving region defined between the top and bottom supports of the jack mount. The jack includes a jack body formed of a dielectric material, and a plurality of electrically conductive tip and ring springs. The jack body defines a plurality of bores sized to receive plugs having tip and ring contacts. The tip springs are adapted to make electrical contact with the tip contacts of the plugs when the plugs are inserted within the bores, and ring springs are adapted to make electrical contact with the ring contacts of the plugs when the plugs are inserted within the bores. When plugs are not mounted within the bores, the tip and ring springs make electrical contact with normal contacts mounted within the jack. The jack assembly also includes a plurality of cross-connect contacts, and a rear interface assembly. The rear interface assembly includes a dielectric support having a first side that faces the jack mount and a second side that faces away from the jack mount. A plurality of rear connectors project outward from the second side of the dielectric support, and a circuit board is positioned between the jack mount and the dielectric support. The circuit board is configured to provide electrical connections between the rear connectors and the tip and ring springs. The circuit board also is configured to provide electrical connections between the cross-connect contacts and the normal contacts. The jack assembly further includes a resilient retaining member connected to one of the jack and the jack mount for securing the jack within the jack mount. The resilient retaining member is moveable between a first position in which the retaining member is adapted to retain the jack within the jack mount, and a second position in which the jack can be inserted into or removed from the jack mount. An electrical interface between the jack and the circuit board is configured such that when the jack is removed from the jack mount, the jack is electrically disconnected from the circuit board.
Another aspect of the present invention relates to a jack assembly including a jack mount having a front side and a rear side. A jack is positioned at the front side of the jack mount. The jack includes a jack body formed from a dielectric material. The jack body defines a plurality of bores each sized to receive a plug having a tip contact and a ring contact. The jack also includes a plurality of electrically conductive tip-and-ring springs. The tip springs are adapted to make electrical contact with the tip contacts of the plugs when the plugs are inserted within the bores, and the ring springs are adapted to make electrical contact with the ring contacts of the plugs when the plugs are inserted within the bores. The jack further includes a plurality of normal contacts adapted to normally make electrical contact with the tip-and-ring springs. A plurality of cross-connect contacts are electrically connected to the normal contacts of the jack. The jack assembly also includes first and second rear interface assemblies that can selectively be secured adjacent to the rear side of the jack mount. The first rear interface assembly includes a plurality of wire termination members that are electrically connected to the tip-and-ring springs when the first rear interface assembly is secured to the jack mount. The second rear interface assembly includes a plurality of coaxial connectors. The coaxial connectors are electrically connected to baluns that are electrically connected to the tip-and-ring springs when the second rear interface assembly is secured to the jack mount. The first and second rear interface assemblies allow a single common universal jack mount to interface either with standard twisted pair signal lines, or coaxial signal lines.
A further aspect of the present invention relates to a jack assembly including a jack mount having a front side and a rear side, and a jack positioned at the front side of the jack mount. The jack includes a jack body formed of a dielectric material. The jack body defines a plurality of bores each sized to receive a plug having a tip contact and a ring contact. The jack also includes a plurality of electrically conductive tip and ring springs. The tip springs are adapted to make electrical contact with the tip contacts of the plugs when the plugs are inserted within the bores, and the ring springs are adapted to make electrical contact with the ring contacts of the plugs when the plugs are inserted within the bores. The jacks further include a plurality of normal contacts adapted to normally make electrical contact with the tip-and-ring springs. A plurality of cross-connect contacts are electrically connected to the normal contacts of the jack. A rear interface assembly is positioned at the rear side of the jack mount. The rear interface assembly includes a dielectric support having a first side that faces the jack mount and a second side that faces away from the jack mount. The rear interface assembly further includes a plurality of baluns supported by the dielectric support, and a plurality of coaxial connectors that project outward from the second side of the support and are electrically connected to the baluns. Contact members that are electrically connected to the baluns, project outward from the first side of the support. The contact members provide an electrical connection between the baluns and a circuit board. The circuit board provides electrical connections between the contact members and the tip and ring springs of the jack, and also provides electrical connections between the cross-connect contacts and the normal contacts of the jack.
A variety of advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed.